LIVING IN BRUSSELS - 8 BEST & WORST Things About Living in the Belgian Capital
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- čas přidán 22. 05. 2024
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📌First step: choose your language (French, Spanish, English, or German).
📌Next, pick the level that suits you, and the topic that you feel you need the most help with (i.e. grammar, conversation, reading, etc.)
📌Finally, start practicing the phrases you’ll need for your next trip: “What’s your number?”, “Can you recommend a good place to go dancing?” and “How much for the whole pitcher of sangria?”
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Bonjour everybody! In this video we are diving into the Brussels life, going over the good and the bad about living in the Belgian capital.
I have been living here for almost three years years, and while I'd like to think that I have covered everything on the topic of Brussels, I'm sure there is a lot that I missed. Thankfully, we live in a time of the internet and there is a website/blog post/ youtube video to answer any question you may have.
Time stamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:53 Pro #1
1:39 Pro #2
2:49 Pro #3
3:42 Pro #4
4:12 Pro #5
4:38 Con #1
6:09 Con #2
6:41 Con #3
8:13 Outro
Below are some of the best language resources I have found in Brussels:
Language schools
French: www.alliancefr.be/fr/
Dutch/ Flemish: www.bxlacademy.be/
Spanish: www.cervantes.es/default.htm
Helpful Facebook groups
-Expats in Brussels
-Expat women in Brussels
-Expats living and working in Brussels
Animo Studios - I teach 9-10 classes a week:
www.animo-studios.com/
Great bang for your buck eateries:
www.thebrokebackpacker.com/is...
If you enjoyed this video, you might also like:
LIVING & WORKING IN BRUSSELS | Everything you need to know!
• LIVING & WORKING IN BR...
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Alexandra
Music: Epidemic Sound
Fall and winter might be depressing but the weather here is definitely better than in the UK or northern Germany.
Very informative and nice. Thank you😊.
I’m so glad you found it helpful! Thanks for watching 😊
I lived in Bruxelles for 4 years as a teenager. Will be going back for the first time since in 2 weeks! Can't wait! Thanks for the video.
That’s great news, Kurt! Have a wonderful time in Brussels ☺️ And thanks for watching!
Do you mean Brussels?
I liked Brussels, didn’t think much of that area around the stock exchange, but starting off from the Grand Place and moving upwards to Avenue Louise, the city becomes quite beautiful, very striking architecture and well preserved monuments. Agree with you: food is quite expensive, even in supermarkets, luckily enough it’s quite affordable to travel around the city :)!
I agree with you, Nuno! Like every city, Brussels has some parts that are prettier than others. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed your time in the Belgian capitol :) Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the lovely advice
Thanks for watching David! I'm so glad you found value in the video :)
Very good message 👍🏿
Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
Really enjoyed both the ups and downs of a city I am looking forward to visiting this summer. Reward bakery here I come!
Yes!! I think you are going to have a fabulous time- pastries and waffles galore!
I wanna go!
hey Alexandra! my husband and I are thinking of staying in Belgium for bike racing and thought to make a whole trip out of it (up to 3 months) we are born and raised in Southern California (OC) and found your videos, they are so helpful and just give us a gage of what to expect, thank you so much for posting this content! I'm afraid once we go I won't want to come back haha
Hey Garden Journal! Thanks so much for stopping by, and for taking the time to comment :) I'm really glad to hear you found the videos helpful. Wishing you a wonderful trip to Belgium and fingers crossed you two are blessed with nice weather for your bike trip! Take care :)
This video is great for knowledge who want to come there
Liked this change !! 🙂 👍 Great content
Thanks so much V&J! Stay tuned for some new Brussels stuff coming soon :)
I spent the month of June 2022 in Brussels. The weather was so perfect I couldn't believe it. During that same month back at my home in Texas, June had 30 consecutive days of 100+ F temperatures without a drop of rain. I feel like the miserable fall and winter weather in Brussels is the payback for getting 5 months of perfection each year.
Yes exactly Sir Galahad! Couldn't have said it better myself ;) Those who manage to stick it out here during the grey winters are rewarded with beautiful, long summer evenings :) Thanks for watching! Have a lovely day!
Super nice, thank you
My pleasure Augustin! Thank you for watching 💗
I am working my last months in Brussels. I did this for over 20 years. And afterwards I'll be glad I never have to be there again.
Why? What were the main issues for you? My husband is Belgian and we are looking to move there, I don't think I want to live in Brussels maybe closer to ghent
I love It. In 9:20 the best street Singer I have seen.🤠👏👏👏🤩
Yes she's awesome! She often performs near the Grand Place as well, in case you find yourself in Brussels and want to catch her live :)
Tu as vraiment bien expliqué! La Belgique et Bruxelles surtout est magnifique, mais il y a toujours des travaux partout 🥲😂
Merci Francesco!!
Lovely video, but maybe one funny remark. Park Ardennes? That Sounds like its a little park on the border of Brussels and not the almost entire south part of Belgium 😁
Touché ;) It did sound like a small park when I said it there, but you are completely right that it's a massive place :) Even more reason to visit- so much to discover! Thanks for watching, Geeraard!
Thank you for the great video. You remind me alot of Ann Hathaway 🙂
Thanks for watching, John! And for the kind words :) Wishing you a lovely day!
As a Belgian, I totally agree about the weather. I just hate the dark and wet months. Doesn't have to be warm for me..., in fact I don't mind if it freezes -10°C, but I just need sunlight or I get depressed. But so far we can't complain this year... it's 25°C and sunny and it's mid-october! 🤔
Amen! It's the combination of humidity and grey skies that I think is awfully depressing :P
It is such a good video, but I have to tell you that as a person who lived in Belgium around 6 years, there are a lot of places where you can find very good and fresh food at such a low price, like between 2 and 10 € which is amazing. Without this part, everything you said in the video is so true and it is very educational. So good job❤️
Thanks for watching, Trusca! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the video :) Have a lovely day!
Drop the names of the spots!
Agree totally as a Belgian- no Belgian...
con 4. Some parts of Brussels you definitely want to avoid, especially at night : stations Brussels North and South, Molenbeek, Schaarbeek. Drunks or drug addicts, homeless people, pickpockets etc ... Brussels South is well known for it's pickpockets. On the other hand there is a lot to do in Brussels, beautiful parks, museums, lots of concert venues, bars, restaurants etc
Nice summary overall, however one thing puzzles me: "Brussels is bordered by the parc national des Ardennes" It's a two hour drive away if you're lucky... Only an American would say that it borders Brussels 😁; to us Belgians it's like a different country almost
Haha touché, Pierre. The Ardennes is massive and definitely a full day trip outside of the city, but absolutely worth it :) Thanks for watching! Have a lovely day!
Yeah. Still there is a beautiful forest around brussels ! The Soignes forest!
A few years ago I was training for a 100km day event, but didn’t want to spend time on the road or the train to go places to go walk. So I trained almost entirely within 30 minutes public transport, walk or cycle from my home in Brussels.
And I totally was able to walk entire days, 50km+ treks, almost permanently in forest, parks and scenic farmland.
You can get a 15 minute ride on a local train and land in a forest the size of Manhattan (the zonienwoud/Tervuren area), in northern Brussels (Jette) walk from park to park or forest with only having to occasionally cross a road for hours, and then cross the ring through a convenient tunnel and immediately be out in the countryside. And just generally, there are nice bits of green scattered throughout the whole town, except the medieval downtown.
There is even a guide book of 12 trekking routes through the green in the city area, all around 20k or more.
It really is one of the things I like most here. Always a green place within easy access without needing a car😊
Hello from Limburg NL
And here is me who love Brussels in the automn and winter.
:) It's nice to have 4 distinct seasons. There is something for everyone here :) Thanks for watching Nico!
It is very refreshing to see an "expat" who is not bashing Brussels ☺️. Of course the city has its flaws (your criticisms are absolutely fair) but overall I think it is a good place to live.
Thanks Yumi! The city can be a really nice place to live if you choose to make it one :)
Wishing you a nice day!
Thanks for the information. Are there indoor running studios in Brussels? Similar to the NY Mile High Running Club.
Thanks for watching, Mike! I'm not sure about any indoor running studios- most of the gyms here have treadmills but I don't believe that there is a space dedicated solely to indoor running.
@@AlexandraTempleton Thank you for responding.
You don't drink belgian beer in a huge bucket . Each beer has its own type of glass , they usually look like oversized whine glass .
I quite like the comment: *You may not fit in but you definitely won't stand out". I feel really intrigued about the country. I've been there but haven't made it to Brussels yet. Je parle un peu de français, suffisament pour me débruiller maar met mij kan je ook nederlands praten. Misschien begrijp ik de flaamsen dialecten niet zo aber viele Belgier sprechen auch Deutsch, was am Ende meine Muttersprache ist. Con un gran número de emigrantes españoles y latinos tengo esta faceta cubierta
ya que al estar viviendo en España también lo hablo todos los días. Anyway, the right place for me to feel comfortable. And, as you have shown, it could be Czech, Lithuanian, Portuguese or whatever, even though I haven't got to the stage to speak these. Pero segur que trobaría catalans o valencians de pas.
Very true...I m a Belgian having spent most of my life outside Belgium...you are absolutely right
is the area near to Bizet metro station is safe for student.
Food is expensive, It’s true but on the other hand rent is relatively cheap compared to most other Western European capitals.
The weather/climate is my main concern about living/working there in 2023
😅 a valid concern E II
If you go to Paris, it will be the same .
As a Belgian having lived most of my life across the world, I think your analysis is really great...even though I am Belgian, I m not the biggest fan of my own country
..OMG...construction is a nightmare..yes the grey, grey weather is tough...food, yes you must have plenty of work..good for you!! Having spent most of my career outside of Belgium, I always loved to see my family around Xmas, however the seasons, sometimes from grey fo grey...not my thing...however life is not too bad in Belgium..Go to Antwerp, even smaller yet very lively, latin almost...
Great outside view, you nailed Brussels...try to see what Belgium is outside of Brussels..Antwerp, fashion city, 1 of the biggest ports globally...you ll like it...yoga, pilates,...personal training...Antwerp will really charm you and vice versa!! Enjoy
Grey weather is not worst than Paris, London , Amsterdam , Copenhagen ,Köln, Lille, etc, etc...
@@jme104 true but Brussels is not in the same category as Paris. London , ..not saying it's bad, just not the same level or culture...
@@B.Alance1st As Belgians, we don't like to boast. It's not in our nature as opposed to .... But did you know we do have more 'castles' per square mile than France, UK, Germany, ... whoever? Being a small country, we have always been forced into 'submission'. Do you really think that living in BE is that bad? You have clearly not been to Belgium or looked at its history. It's a bit bigger than you like to make it out. Another typical case of 'we are the best'. Please get your facts right before blurting out a comment. We have more culture than a lot of surrounding countries combined.
@@wimve4719 thanks for your wisdom, even if it's typically all referring to a certain melancholic history tour. Castles per square meter, sure. Castles sold to foreign owners or abandoned by the empoverrished nobility...mostly ruines.
Culture means many things..more culture than any country ? I applaud your enthusiasm...I sincerely do not wish to insult you or the country of Belgium.
Let's count the incredibly capable, small artisan crafts and companies Belgium used to be famous for ! Chocolate, Beers, Bakeries , Tapestry, woven products, diamond craftsmen, etc..impressive list to be proud of.
Unfortunately Belgium has been sold out for lack of vision towards the future, stuck in the ' cultural long gone past '...Culture is not only about the past...
Again without any intent to insult Belgium, our educational system, Healthcare, multilingual skills....Belgium was famous for many exceptional skills and therefore a great central place for foreign investors, where highly educated, multilingual, hard working talent was available.
How many foreign investments at this moment in history ?
How many of our brands and products, Belgian made, desired by consumers worldwide, are still in Belgian ownership ? You dont need 1 hand to count them...
Have you spoken to teachers about the level of education ?
Do you know family or friends with a terminal desease, put on a waiting list for 6 months ?
Do you feel backpain driving across the bumps on our highways and roads ?
Do you feel safer ?
Are you seeing the results of government spending your taxes ( highest in Europe and more ) wisely ?
Culture reminds me of what a Greek colleague once said...Greeks are not the proudest about the state of their country currently.
Quote " since our country is a mess, we keep talking about what we used to be "
Please don't think i find Belgium to be a terrible place to live...there is always worse...I m just stating facts.
Oh finally. , Belgium has the second biggest national debt after....Slovenia.
So, yes you are right. It could be worse
@@B.Alance1st Wow, that triggered you, didn't it ...
any video of colleges in belgium??
Super like Belgium i was there Last May 21days.. how about local culture?
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the city! What do you mean local culture?
Are there parks in Brussels with pull up bars and stuff like that?
Hey! I'm not entirely sure, Giacomo, but I haven't looked for it :)
There are!
I’m surprised you didn’t mention the insane traffic despite the mass transit 😅. And the often terrible cycling infrastructure. I don’t even mean lack of cycling infrastructure. I mean the actual infrastructure there is is often lousy. I particularly get irked by the way they put obstacles all over the cycling lanes, sometimes obstacles meant to indicate the cycling lane is there, or supposedly to protect it!
I often avoid the cycling lanes and use quieter roads instead, that’s how much of a nuisance they can be 😮
Yes you're very right about that, @vanswift28. Stay tuned on the channel tomorrow as I'll upload a part 2 to this video and that theme may appear ;)
Have a nice day!
The center is usually horrible, but it really depends where you live.
I'm on Woluwe St Pierre and we have great infrastructure for biking and a lot of tramways, buses and metros (since it's a terminus), but if I have to go to the center or north of brussels during working hours a car is out of the question lol
As for the video, if you like running or cycling, the "Parc de Woluwe" is very nice too !
I have had a few friends that recently visited share negative experiences about feeling unsafe in brussels, Im curious what is your personal experience in Brussels re safety?
Hi Jay! I have not had any encounters in my 3 years here yet (*touch wood*) that have made me feel unsafe, though as in any big city there are precautions one should take to mitigate risk. I would say on the whole though, I feel quite safe living here :) Hope this helps and thanks for watching!
Where did your friends stay? As a Belgian who has been working for 15 years in Brussels now, I can say that there are no go zones where even we don't go. And of course in the evening/at night (when it's dark) you better stay in. Only the citycenter is relatively 'safe' than.
@@tamaraaelbrecht1718 There are ZERO no go zones in Belgium. None whatsoever.
Stating other wise shows that you are either not a Belgian or that you are one with an agenda.
I live in Miami So I find food and stuff cheap in Brussels lol there are things that are comparatively more expensive like gas and stuff but life in Miami is WAY more expensive so i'll take it!
You can't compare Miami to Brussels. It's like comparing a Ferrari to a Lada
😂 well played
I meant "Renard!"
How to get your class and how much does it cost? How to contact you?
Hey Iness! Thanks for watching :) I teach 5-6 times a week at Animo Studios in BXL and I have 3 online programs that you can find on my website. Both links are copied in the description box of the video above :) Hope this helps and hope we can practice together!
Lived in Belgium for 8 months, never again.
Touché, SL 7 ;) It definitely takes a fair bit of adjusting to live here, and it's not for everyone, but each experience adds value in some way. Thanks for watching!
can you elaborate on why, please? (Assuming it was Brussels also)
Would you care to share your experience, please?
Food is cheap at Clemenceau or Abbattoir
wow 🎉🎉 wonderful palce 🌄🌄🌄🌄 keep it up🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thanks Ravi!! Thanks for watching :D
con number 9,Molenbeek
Wow, being from Denmark, Brussels, food and going out in Belgium or Brussels, is considered cheap in comparison... all is in relation indeed.
I m harassing you about Antwerp...as a personal trainer/coach...you would be super successful and fit in great....It's completely aligned with your personality . And you have the perfect profile to become the most ' desired celebrity " as a professional ...not kidding..yoga, pilates, spinning, .... Antwerp is a fashionable , trendy, creative, very wealthy place to be a major success ...they will love you ( and pay really well 😂)
Thanks so much for your kind words, @B.Alance1st :) I have been to Antwerp a few times and really enjoyed each trip! If I can get my Dutch up to snuff, I think it would be a fabulous city to live in!
Have a nice day!
@AlexandraTempleton no need for Dutch in Antwerp. In your area of expertise it's almost more of an advantage of being non Belgian. Everyone speaks English...much more than in Brussels. I have plenty of friends who don't speak a word of Dutch.
French, Dutch, English...it's a very normal mix... Italian restaurants with hip clientele , succesful since many years, not a word of Dutch..a well known expert in your field, exclusively English and French...it actually made their " brand " stronger...just saying
Is not because Brussel is capital of Belgium you have the best of the best there. We Belgium people call everything there for tourist. If you really want the best if the best food you go Flanders like Gent. And the beer wafels 🍫 that is everywhere in Belgium.
Thanks for the heads up, Andy! Is there any place specific you'd recommend in Ghent for food?
@@AlexandraTempleton the Most restaurant are in Gent are really good because we don't live on tourist money but in locals and students.
@@Lootensansy2308I am looking at moving to or near ghent where my husband is from
Hello Aleksandra you living Bruksel?
Hi Katarzyna! Indeed I do :) It's a great city!
What's Parc d'Ardennes ?
It is a big forest that Belgium and France share :)
@@AlexandraTempleton It's not exactly near Brussels but indeed, it's very beautiful. Belgium is more than Brussels, Bruges and Ghent.
Weather might be bad for you but it's still better than here in England lmao
😅 fair enough, though we aren’t that far apart geographically so I would say we are almost tied for crappy weather 🙈👍🏼
There is more rain in Brussels than in London. There is more wind in London, wich is nice to "clean" the air. Brussels means "swamp" so that tells you why it can be very humid around here :/
Hey Alexandra - thanks for making this video. My brother recently moved to Belgium around 8 months now, he's really having a hard time being accepted by the Belgians - at work they treat him as the "others" and are hostile towards him with indirect cultural racism aimed at him. The irony is that we are half Belgian and possess Belgian nationality. We've grown up in South Africa so of course we're South African by ❤️ but I am really sad hearing him struggle with wanting to assimilate and yet he's almost in a sense barred from trying. Did you have this experience? He's based in Flanders btw. Thanks again 🌷
Hi Melissa! I'm so sorry to hear that your brother has had that experience here in Belgium :( Unfortunately, I think that there is racism and prejudice everywhere, Belgium is no exception. I've found Brussels to be more receptive to outsiders than some of the smaller Belgian cities- maybe because of institutions like the E.U. and NATO that attract many different nationalities.
I hope things get better for him. Thanks for watching and I wish you a lovely day!
Hello Melissa, I was actually born and raised in Flanders and I can confirm that there are certain areas where even I feel like one of the 'others'. It's a sort of small town mentality that they have in certain areas, because everybody seems to know everybody, but it's certainly not everywhere. I'm originally from the Ghent region but I lived at the coast for several years and even after living there for 5 years, some old woman in the butcher's shop said to me "you're not from around here, are you?", implying that I was a tourist. I could literally point at my appartment on the other side of the road where I had been living for 5 years, but they heard from my accent that I was not really from there. Then again, I grew up less than 80km from the coast, so it's not like I was an alien. I'm pretty confident he should easily fit in in the larger Flemish cities like Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven,...
I can agree ..some parts of Belgium do have that mentality..even coming from another town can make you feel like an 'alien' ..and it is worse in Wallunia (south and French speaking part )
💪💪💯😊👍!
@@nancyvandergucht9295 Hqello 👋🌞 thank you for your response! I suppose that it will hopefully become less of a thing amongst millennials and Gen Z's? Let's hope! In today's world, with all the fighting and wars going on we can all do with peace and assimilation. I must admit I haven't been often to Wallonia, my family are Flemish speaking and all live in Flanders side, so we stick to this side when we visit & never get enough time to explore the other side.
@@AlexandraTempleton absolutely right! Prejudice and segregation does exist all over, this is true and hopefully us younger and more progressive generation will come to address this 😊🙏🏼 thanks for your response and your awesome videos! Can't wait to be in Belgium again soon 🤩
Instead doing yoga videos I suggest to do videos like this.. Your presentation is good and witty loved it ❤we can do video collab together to grow our channel together☺ This is not my real channel I have another
Thanks Hercules! I'm glad you enjoyed the video :) Have a great day!
@@AlexandraTempleton Have a great day to u too 😊
"There is no bad weather, there is only bad clothing", they say in Germany's northwest where I was born and raised and which is very close to Flanders/Belgium. My province of origin is the Münsterland which is on the border with the Netherlands but not too far from Belgium, either. I'm still young and have been moving around in West Europe over the last years. I also lived in the Netherlands for two years and this year, I'm moving to Flanders for studies. I think the "no bad weather" philosophy is common in Dutch-speaking Europe as well. I HONESTLY enjoy a lot of the things people from warmer countries often consider "bad weather". Among the best sunny days are snowy winter days, as you can inhale the fresh air and all the sunlight is reflected by the snow. Of course, blossoming spring days and warm summer nights are great, too. But equally, I enjoy the fresh stormy weather in autumn when all the leaves turn colourful. Being able to accept whatever weather there is can be very rewarding. There's a way to enjoy almost any weather. My least favourite weather, however, is extreme heat in summer, even if there's just a few day of that. Of course, after months of winter, I'm already looking forward again to spring. But for me, it's really the mix of all the different seasons. And if you need to refresh in the middle of a hot summer or regain some positive energy in the middle of a dark winter, a little trip to a country with a different climate is all you need. Being exposed to the changing weather can sometimes be a little bit challenging yet I perveive it as a vitalising experience in the first place. Without the cold winter, there's no occasion to sit at the window looking at the cold rain or snow outside while feeling the warmth of a caminfire and drinking your warm cup of hot chocolate. Furthermore, the cold winter allows for wonderful saunabaths, skiing holidays, iceskating on the weekend, absolute relaxation and privacy on evening walks on the dark countryside and very cozy and stylish fashion. On the other hand, the spring reawakens your spirit and boosts your energy and motivation in a way you would never experience if it was spring-like weather all year long. The summer creates the most atmospheric evenings no matter where you are. And the autumn blows a good portion of happiness and vitaly in your face with its refreshing winds and colourful surroundings. Each season has its spiritual dimension, too. I wouldn't want to miss this. This northwest European climate is perfect for me!
Ha Ha , we say the same in Demnark... otherwise we will have to stay inside most days 😂😂😂 Make you appreciate the good even more.
are you canadian? you have a "too nice, unsexy" vibe going...keep it up!
😅 I’m American, but that’s one of the best comments I’ve received thus far. Thanks for watching, Richie!
You are also beautiful 🥰❤️
U look like anne hathway cute
Do you speak German?
No, unfortunately not :(
@@AlexandraTempleton it is fine, but you are beautiful
Funny, it's cheaper in Brussels than living in Colorado.
😅 that’s crazy. Does it depend on where in Colorado?
@@AlexandraTempletonnope, statewide.
@@apigthatflies that’s a bummer, inflation is a real bitch 👎🏻
Honestly most people living in Brussels aren't Belgian, most Belgians probably dislike Brussels (including me).
When I fart I spit and it stains my underwear.
Wow, that's excellent. What a great accomplishment. You are going to advance very quickly in life
@@LittleBigKid707b Thank's man, appreciated, wish you the best !
As a Belgian living in Flanders, I can't understand how anyone could live in that dangerous Hellhole called Brussels. Apart from all the negative parts all cities have (loud, crowded, noisy, stinking) it's also plagued with dangerous Muslim youth doing lots of criminality.
I find it fascinating how a lot of Flemish people speak about Brussels. I am Dutch, living in Flanders and visit Brussels monthly and really like it. Far from being dangerous. Yes, of course there are areas you want to avoid, but there are also very nice parts. I often visit the area around Sint-Gillis (east part of it…not close to Midi), Vorst and Ukkel. Don’t judge a city based on a train station or what you see on the news.
@@JD-oe5ucmost of the time they are Flemish far right extremists with an agenda. Most of the time they never come to Brussels, never worked there, never lived there.